


Subfusc - Crazy Cat Tale Version

by cutsycat



Series: Dictionary.Com Word of the Day Drabbles [1333]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-07-31 21:22:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20121871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutsycat/pseuds/cutsycat
Summary: The start of Tony and Gibbs adventures to see the old cat lady and of course there's trouble.





	Subfusc - Crazy Cat Tale Version

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jane_x80](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jane_x80/gifts).

> Another dictionary.com word of the day drabble. This time from 12/24/2002 for the word [subfusc](http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/2002/12/24/subfusc).
> 
> subfusc[ suhb-fuhsk ]  
adjective  
subfuscous; dusky.  
dark and dull; dingy; drab:  
a subfusc mining town.
> 
> This is for jane_x80 as it's her comments that led to this series starting. You can find the comments on previous entries in the series. 
> 
> This is a continuation of [Portend](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8885206), [Ratiocination](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8907304), [Equivocate](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8919556)...[Eldritch](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11672367), [Sedition](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12322374), [Transmute](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12516188), [Dolorous](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12611772), [Fatidic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12641916), [Remunerate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12740088), [Conflate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12789753), [Bilious](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12815319), [Tintinnabulation](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12849654), [Agitprop](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12923004), [Voluble - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13377990), [Desideratum - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13775349), [Farrago - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13813989), [Proclivity - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13888944), [Recalcitrant - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14030937), [Collude - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15263964), [Vociferous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15491991), [Fulminate - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15659430), [Chagrin - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16019081), [Tortuous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16028429), [Perspicacity - Cracy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16130096), [Hirsute - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16694437), [Recondite - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17473211), [Fortuitous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18732697), [Legerdemain - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18777826), [Moiety - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18826204), [Mercurial - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18883795), [Effulgence - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19101709), [Cadre - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19201240), [Clarion - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19251184), [Beneficence - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19305271), [Foment - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19447312), [Encumbrance - Crazy Cat Tale](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19740205), [Meticulous - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19791220), [Irrefragable - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19897759), [Posit - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20001178), and [Propinquity - Crazy Cat Tale Version](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20080516).
> 
> Note: Since it's been so long since I last wrote something for this series, I had to go back and re-read the series in full. In the process I realized that the story would work better if I tweaked some things. So Jenny is now director wherever Vance was referenced and the Probie/witch is now Ziva. These are the main changes, but feel free to re-read yourself if you want.
> 
> As always comments, kudos, and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated.

As the sun started to set on the first day of his journey, Tony wondered what was happening with Tim and Abby or even for that matter what Sammy and the rest of the cats were up to. With Gibbs as a panther cub, it was startlingly more lonely than he had expected. He could communicate with Gibbs a bit through their bond, but it wasn’t the easy banter that they would have had if they were both in their normal forms.

He could feel Gibbs’ worry for him, but it didn’t do anything to stop the loneliness from crowding in. So far the scenery hadn’t been very exciting, but as darkness loomed who knew what awaited them. He hadn’t seen any signs of buildings once he left the castle, so he was pretty sure he would be camping for most of this trip. 

He couldn’t say he was looking forward to it. If Gibbs had been well Gibbs, it wouldn’t have been an issue, but Tony wasn’t overly fond of camping without someone to take his mind off of it. Tony knew the basics of camping thanks to the military school Senior had sent him to when he was younger, but those camping trips had been even less fun than the ones his frat brothers had done a couple of times.

Still there was nothing for it, he had to find somewhere to spend the night that would be relatively safe. However, not knowing the area, he didn’t have the slightest idea what would and wouldn’t be safe. It was a bit of a problem to say the least. 

He could feel himself tiring, though, and not wanting to push himself, finally decided to try sleeping in a tree. He grabbed some beef jerky from the pack and handed it to Gibbs, figuring even a panther cub might be ok with that, while taking a granola bar for himself. He quickly finished the granola bar and attempted to shimmy up a tree, which was a lot more difficult than it should have been given the double backpacks.

He finally managed it, though, and set Gibbs carefully where a couple of branches met, so that he wouldn’t be able to accidentally fall. Tired of dealing with the packs, Tony changed into his panther form. This had two benefits, one he would be more likely to wake up if something decided to attack them and two he could see better in the dark as a cat than as a human so would stand a better chance of escaping or fighting off whatever attacked and two, the packs would go to wherever his clothes went when he shifted forms and would return when he shifted back to human. 

Truthfully, he probably would have happily stayed a panther for the entire journey if it wasn’t for Gibbs being a panther cub. It could take months to master moving around and various other features of a new form and unlike the packs Gibbs couldn’t just disappear when he changed forms. Nor was he about to force Gibbs to submit to being carried in a panther’s mouth, which would be the only way he could carry cub Gibbs in panther form, just because he had the misfortune of changing into a cub unexpectedly.

The subfusc jungle surrounded them in darkness as the night passed and the two slept on in the branches. Both of them were ignorant of the various creatures moving below them in the darkness, so they were surprised to wake and find the jungle completely transformed. What had appeared to be a normal jungle full of trees and other flora now in the light of day was just a bunch of cat trees, yarn, and other items to make a full on cat playground. 

Tony blinked and changed back to his human form. Still Gibbs did not change with him. He sighed and picked up Gibbs again. 

At least, their journey wouldn’t be difficult. After all, how could a few carpet covered scratching posts and cat jungle gyms and yarn pose a threat. Of course, the cats using them were another matter entirely. 

On top of that, this cat forest wasn’t the normal size you found in the human realm. Each and every one of these cat trees and jungle gyms towered over Tony and he wasn’t a small man. It was a cat’s paradise.

It even tempted Gibbs who scampered out of Tony’s arms and happily climbed up one of the jungle gyms to bat at some of the yarn at the top. “Gibbs! Come down from there.” Tony yelled.

Gibbs let out a roar and jumped at the yarn. Tony couldn’t help chuckling. Gibbs was definitely adorable as a panther cub, but he still missed his mate.

There was only one thing for it. Tony would have to go and retrieve Gibbs himself. He grabbed one of the platforms with his arms and swung himself up onto it. Gibbs had made this look so easy, but as a human, especially one with 2 backpacks, it was a lot more difficult to move around on this cat jungle gym.

Of course, he could change into a cat. Tony called himself an idiot and transformed. He easily leaped up to where Gibbs was and joined Gibbs in attacking the yarn.

There were so many things to play with here. The yarn, a bunch of feathers, there were so many choices. It was paradise. 

Tony would be happy to stay here with Gibbs for the rest of his life. Or well he would be if the other cats weren’t hissing at them. Maybe it wasn’t paradise, after all. 

He hissed back warning them away. He would fight if he had to, but he’d rather not. There were plenty of other cat trees to play on; why did they need the ones he and Gibbs were using?

Wait. What was he doing? Wasn’t there something important he was supposed to be doing? 

Ooh. Look at that yarn. He batted at it with his paw.

Hiss. Oh right. The other cats. He hissed back. “Get lost.”

“This is our playground. You are the trespassers. Get out of our territory.”

“There’s enough space for all of us.”

“This is our territory. We will not warn you twice.”

**Author's Note:**

> The dictionary.com series has 13 stories already written for it after this one, so I will be posting at least 13 stories before I stop posting again. I have 1 Crazy Cat Tale update written, but hopefully I'll get more written this weekend. Wish me luck!
> 
> It's 2019 now and I have closed my 2018 Prompt collection, but fear not my 2019 Prompt Collection is now open [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/cutsycat_NCIS_Prompts_2019/profile). Just click the sign up link. ;) It will remain open until the beginning of 2020. I'm hoping to complete all the 2019 prompts by the end of 2020. Do not fear I have not forgotten about the 2018 prompts and will continue working through them. It's just easier for me to not get overwhelmed if I keep the prompts separated by the year they were given to me.
> 
> If you are not an ao3 member, you can prompt me [here](http://cutsycat.livejournal.com/50701.html). Please follow the same rules as are listed in the above link. However, because this is a handmade prompt form(that thinks it's a poll), it is considerably more limited than what ao3 provides, so please use the ao3 form if you're an ao3 member. Please note the name option is for a name that I can say this is for so that you know it's for you. Since this is for non ao3 members it won't be true gifts, but you will be mentioned in the notes. Please note if you have already voted in the poll and would like to request more stories you can just add a comment to the poll. Please include the name along with the prompt, so that I can appropriately gift the prompt to you.
> 
> For any authors that want to chat and/or are looking for a place where they can toss plot ideas around and get input from people, you can come join my discord server that is specifically geared towards writing/encouraging people to write and authors. The invite link is [here](https://discord.gg/HFvwpCq). If you're not an author, but want to chat with me about writing/stories or anything else you are welcome to join. I reserve the right to boot you from my server if all you do is pester me about updates, however. *grin* Really anyone who wants to talk about writing and/or plot ideas for various stories is welcome to join. 
> 
> I do not currently have a discord dedicated to my stories. If anyone would be interested in joining a group chat server that is focused on my stories please comment below. Also, if you would like such a thing what kind of things would you like to know about? Please share those with me.
> 
> Also, Drakonyashka has translated a couple of my works into Russian. [Tutelage](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378780) and [Imbue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12378840). Go support them. 


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